Mainland Football's Multi-Ethnic Youth Festival

In August, Mainland Football and Canterbury Cricket came together at the home of football in Christchurch to deliver a Multi-Ethnic Youth Football Festival as part of their joint Diversity and Inclusion strategy.

Supported by funding from the New Zealand Football Foundation, the festival brought together more than 100 young people and their families for a day centred around football, culture, and community connection.

On the pitch, boys and girls took part in a 7-a-side football festival, showcasing not only their skill but also outstanding sportsmanship and enjoyment of the game. Around the pitches, families experienced a vibrant celebration of culture, with ethnic food stalls and a Chinese Dragon dance performance helping to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.

The day was marked by strong community engagement and a clear sense of shared purpose. As Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon reflected during the event, sport plays an important role in strengthening social cohesion and bringing communities together — something clearly visible throughout the festival.

The festival formed part of a wider long-term strategy between Mainland Football and Canterbury Cricket focused on improving inclusion and participation across Ōtautahi Christchurch. This includes a series of initiatives over the next 18 months spanning coach development, officiating pathways, school leadership programmes, and community hubs designed to remove barriers and widen access to sport.

The New Zealand Football Foundation was proud to support this early-stage activation, helping to enable collaboration between organisations and supporting a shared vision of more inclusive community sport.

Speaking on the partnership, NZFF CEO Michelle Cox said:

“The New Zealand Football Foundation is proud to be working with Mainland Football and Canterbury Cricket to engage everyone across our communities with sport, regardless of ethnic background. The multi-ethnic football tournament was the first step in an exciting programme to bring new players into football and help build community connections — something the Foundation firmly believes in across New Zealand.”

For NZFF, this festival reflects a simple but powerful idea: when barriers to participation are removed and communities are brought together through sport, football becomes more than a game — it becomes a platform for belonging, connection, and social wellbeing.

And while the festival lasted just one day, its impact continues through the partnerships, programmes, and relationships it helped strengthen across the Christchurch sporting community.

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